THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Do you recognize the numerous bonds of affection that God has orchestrated? These connections highlight the inherent agreements among us. Indeed, unity of essence fosters this, as "every animal loves the like of itself" (Sir. 13:19)—the wife stemming from her husband, and the children emerging from both. Consequently, various types of love exist: we cherish one as a father, another as a grandfather, one as a mother, and yet another as a nurse; there is love as a son, grandson, or great-grandson, as well as love as a daughter or granddaughter. We also experience affection for a brother, a nephew, a sister, or a niece. But why catalog all types of kinship?
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God has employed another reason for love: by prohibiting unions among relatives, He draws us toward those outside our bloodlines, creating closeness with them. Though they lack a natural bond, He has united us in a different manner—through marriage—uniting entire households via a single bride and connecting whole families with others. He instructed, "Do not take as your wife your sister, nor your father's sister, nor any maiden who is related to you in a way that prevents marriage," specifying the categories of such relationships. It suffices for your affection toward them that you share the same birth or are otherwise connected. Why, then, should the scope of love be limited? Rather, why not enhance our inclination to love in this manner, while gaining additional reasons for love by taking a wife from outside your kin, along with her relatives—mother, father, brothers, and their neighbors? Can you see the multitude of ways that God has brought us together?